Flooring



Dec. 3, 1935.

R. L. CURTIS ET AL V FLOORING Filed NOV. 11, 1932 //v x/ewroes R- L. Cue 77.5, J- 7. FL E/SHEL.

Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Louis, Mo., Company, Alabama assignors to St. Louis, Mo.,

Cherokee Lumber a corporation of Application November 11, 1932, Serial No. 642,140

2 Claims.

This invention relates to flooring, and more particularly to the type of flooring, or paving, wherein a plurality of blocks are united with each other before they are embodied in a floor structure.

One of the objects is to produce a simple and inexpensive unit of this kind including a spline which unites the blocks at one side of the unit and also serves as a means for securing one unit to another. In the preferred form of the invention, this spline includes ber located within and interlocked with a row of the blocks, and a simple projection extending from said locking member to serve as a means for securing one unit to another. The spline is preferably so formed that its projecting portion can be moved laterally into an adjacent unit, as this enables the floor to be easily assembled on a bed of mastic by merely imparting a slight movement to one unit while inserting the projecting portion of the spline into another unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary block structure including a simple internal spline which serves as a means for uniting a row of blocks. This internal spline is preferably located in an open groove but separated from the entrance thereof to provide an open space in the same groove for a projecting rib on another unit.

A further object is to produce a unit of this kind wherein the blocks are securely united by splines at opposite sides of the unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifica tions which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

To illustrate one form of the invention, we will hereafter disclose a simple unit consisting of a single row of blocks, and a pair of splines secured in opposite sides of the row to prevent free displacement before the blocks are embodied in a floor, one of said splines having a simple projecting rib conforming to the groove containing the other spline. The blocks are thus securely united by splines at opposite sides of the row, and the structure can be easily and quickly assembled in a floor, as the projecting rib of one unit is movable laterally into the groove of another unit.

an offset locking mem-' Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing two floor units embodying the features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the units, showing the side and end which are concealed in Fig. 3 is an end view of one unit.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating another form of the locked spline.

Each of the blocks B shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is preferably made of wood with the grain extending vertically to locate the upper ends of the grain at the wearing surface of the floor. Each block has a simple rectangular shape with grooves 5 and 6 in its opposite sides. The groove 6 may have a simple rectangular form with horizontal top and bottom faces extending from the side of the block to a vertical face at inner wall of said groove 6. However, the groove 5 is preferably oflset to receive a locking spline, as will be hereafter described.

In assembling the blocks to form a single unit (Fig. 2) a spline 1 is inserted into the grooves 5 at one side of the unit, and a spline 8 is inserted into the grooves 6 at the opposite side.

The internal spline 8 lies entirely within the grooves 6 and it is separated from the entrances of said grooves to provide an open space which conforms to the rib or tongue 9 extending from the spline 1. This rib or tongue 9 projects from one side of the unit, and in laying the floor it is inserted into the grooves 6 of an adjacent unit, as shown in Fig. 1. i

In this connection, it will be observed that the open space from the internal spline 8 to the entrance of the groove 6 is approximately equal to the dimensions of the projecting rib 9, and that this rib is movable laterally into the groove 9, so the units can be assembled in a floor structure by merely moving the side of one unit toward the side of another unit, thereby inserting the projecting rib 9 into the plain grooves 6.

The flooring is usually laid on a bed of mastic, which is in a plastic condition, and a lower corner of each unit may be cut away as shown at I 0 in Fig. 3, to provide a. recess for the mastic which may be displaced in moving one unit toward another.

Attention is now directed to the special spline 7 which performs two functions. It is locked in J the grooves 5 to positively prevent lateral displacement in the unit, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and the projecting rib 9 on the same spline provides a simple and convenient means for securing one unit to another.

an advantage is gained by locating the splines below the middle portions of the blocks, as shown in Fig. 3, to provide a relatively large wearing area above the splines, and if desired, the offset looking member may be located entirely below the body portion of the special spline I. 7 v

For example, Fig. 4 illustrates an L-shaped spline I projecting from an L-shaped groove to provide a rib 9 conforming to the open'groove' 6 in the opposite side of the unit.

In assembling the blocks of a unit, the spline I is driven longitudinally into the grooves 5 at one side of the row of blocks, and the spline 8 is forced into the grooves 6 at the opposite side. The splines are frictionally secured within the unit, and they serve as means for accurately alining the blocks. These frictionally secured splines also prevent displacement at both sides of the unit, and if desired they may be anchored to the blocks by any suitable means, such as nails l3, shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Such devices would positively prevent longitudinal displacement of the splines, but they are not absolutely necessary, as the splines are usually driven into the grooves and held there by friction which will ordinarily prevent displacement until the units are assembled in a floor structure.

' In manufacturing the units, it is advisable to locate the ends of the splines approximately flush with the ends of the row of blocks, as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent accidental breakage of the splines. However, in laying the floor, each of the frictionally secured splines may be hammered on one end andthereby moved longitudinally to locate the opposite end beyond the row of blocks, as shown in Fig. 1. The projecting ends of the splines will then enter into the corresponding grooves of an adjacent unit, so as to firmly unite the adjoining ends of the assembled units. In this connection it will be understood that the small nails l3'are to be removed before the longitudinal motion is imparted to the frictionally secured splines.

These horizontal splines may be made of wood, with the grain extending longitudinally to lie at a right angle to the vertical grain of the blocks.

The simple units herein disclosed can be readily made by ordinary wood-working machinery, and very quickly assembled in laying the floor. Furthermore, the several elements of each unit are so arranged that they cooperate with each other to effectively prevent displacement both before and after the units are embodied in a floor structure.

We claim;

1. Afloor unitxcomprising a row of wooden.

blocks having a longitudinal groove at each side of the row, a wood spline having a locking key located within one of said grooves at a side face of the. row, said locking key having an enlarged portion wider than the opening of the groove at said side face to prevent displacement of thelocking key through said opening, said spline also having a longitudinal rib integral with said locking key and projecting from said opening at the side of the row of blocks, and a relatively narrow internal wood spline located entirely within the other groove at the opposite side of the row of blocks, said narrow spline being separated from the entrance of said last mentioned groove a distance suificient to provide a space for the pro- 13 jecting rib of an adjacent unit.

2.'A floor unit comprising an elongated row of wooden blocks, a wooden spline having an enlarged offset locking key in the form of a. dovetail having wedge-shaped wings located within and interlocked with one side of the row of blocks to unite the blocks at said side, said spline also having a longitudinal rib integral with but narrower than said locking key and projecting from said side of the row of blocks, the opposite side of the row of blocks being provided with a longitudinal groove deeper than the projecting rib of said spline, and an internal wooden spline located entirely within said groove and separated from the entrance thereof a sufiicient distance to provide a space for the projecting rib of an adjacent unit, the grain of said blocks being approximately vertical and the grain of the splines being approximately horizontal.

' ROLLIN L. CURTIS;

JULE TRAVIS FLEISHEL. 

